Calif. Couple Bilked $1.6M From Medicare, Jury Hears

Law360, San Francisco (October 28, 2013, 6:05 PM EDT) -- A California couple bilked Medicare of $1.6 million by fraudulently billing the government for power wheelchairs and paying kickbacks to those who recruited patients, prosecutors told a California federal jury Monday.

The U.S. Department of Justice is trying Patrick Adebowale Sogbein and his wife, Adebola Adefunke Adebimpe, along with "recruiter" Eduardo Abad, on charges of health care fraud against Medicare. Dr. Edra Calaustro, who allegedly worked with most of the patients who received the power wheelchairs, took a plea deal on Sept. 30, while Mele Saavedra,...